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03rd Feb 2022

The first photos from Conversations with Friends are here – and it looks incredible

Sarah McKenna Barry

How gorgeous does this look?

The very first look at the TV adaption of Sally Rooney’s hugely popular novel Conversations with Friends is here, and, if the images are anything to go, it will be just as dreamy as Normal People.

The series follows two college students and best friends – Frances (Cork’s very own Alison Oliver) and Bobbi (Sasha Lane) – as they become involved with an older married couple Melissa (Jemima Kirke) and Nick (Joe Alwyn).

The first few pictures of the BBC and Hulu adaption have been shared with Vanity Fair, and to say that we are excited would be an understatement.

In them, we see some gorgeous portraits of leading lady Alison, as well as some group shots from the show.

In one picture, Oliver, Lane, Kirke and Alwyn are snapped in sunny Croatia, as the novel sees them venture on holiday together.

Like Normal People, Conversations with Friends will be directed by Irish director Lenny Abrahamson, so we know we’re in good hands.

Speaking to Vanity Fair, Abrahamson said: “What we’ve ended up with is something that has a kind of aesthetic family resemblance to the other series, but is definitely its own thing.”

The director also spoke about the character dynamics of the show. He told the magazine: “You have these various permutations within that quartet of relationships and power dynamics and attraction, but all of it revolves around Frances.”

While the series will be largely faithful to Rooney’s novel, the character of Bobbi will be American rather than Irish. This change is due to actress’ Sasha Lane’s very strong audition.

On her casting, Abrahamson said: “We saw brilliant people, but there was just something about Sasha. There are few people who capture that quality that Bobbi is described as having in the novel—this kind of extraordinariness, this impact.”

He added that he is keen to capture the diversity of modern Ireland as well.

Conversations with Friends comes out on Hulu and BBC later this spring.